Family

Teens And Sex

by: Jamie Cruise

Teenage sexual activity, in America is an issue of widespread national concern.
Ironically, one question that rings in the mind of a teenager is when to have
sex. Our Catholic teachings, does teach that sexual intercourse outside of
marriage is contrary to its purpose. Apart from the church, now public schools
are also preaching the advantages of abstinence. Even then, premarital sex is
growing and becoming an important issue. Sexually transmitted diseases, teen
pregnancy, and emotions of regret are usually caused by having premarital sex.

STDís or Sexually transmitted diseases which are caused by premarital sex
flourish in a society, where teens have multiple sex partners. The misuse of
contraceptives may be one of the reasons for the plague of STD's. Many teenagers
have a wrong assumption that using contraceptives prevents the spread of herpes,
AIDS, or other diseases, but in reality, it does not. Even the instructions or
directions on the products do not state that they do stop the spread of these
diseases. Each year 3 million new cases of STDís are reported among teens. Many
teenagers believe that nothing is wrong having premarital sex with multiple
partners through the ages of 15 and 19, thereby increasing the chance of
spreading sexually transmitted diseases each and every time. A new study among
teenagers shows that every eleven seconds a teen has sex for their first time
and that figure is indeed alarming.

Premarital sex has also been one of the major causes of teenage pregnancy and in
turn carelessness has played a significant role in it, whether it is in the
usage of contraceptives or in choosing a partner. Teens, even though they use
different forms of contraceptives or birth control, they tend to use it
incorrectly, because of their carelessness. Many of such unplanned teenage
pregnancies happen because of the lack of knowledge and carelessness. Itís
shocking to know that 30% of all such unplanned pregnancies in America involve
teen parents. Hence, premarital sex makes teenage pregnancy a growing concern
for all, especially parents.

As discussed, sexual relations among teenagers are indeed a growing problem, not
only for them, but also for this great nation as a whole. We can thus summarize
and conclude that premarital sex alone is the cause of teenage pregnancy, STDís
and feelings of regret. These could have of course avoided if they have
prolonged those few minutes of bliss till marriage. In reality, the only way to
not be affected is to sexual abstinence and to a larger extent through character
education. Even then, many teenagers often claim that abstinence is ridiculous
and impossible but they should understand that or someone should make them
believe that it takes only one word, ďNOĒ to achieve.

See Also:

They Never Came Home: Teenage
Drinking and Driving
Thereís nothing wrong with giving a teenager a car. As long as he or she knows
the limitations and the cautions he or she has to follow. One wrong move or
choice in a teenís part could lead to accidents or worse, death.

Academic instruction isnít the only responsibility teachers have in todayís
classrooms. More and more, teachers are being called on to teach students about
values ... things like making good decisions, the showing of respect, taking
responsibility, choosing friends, and having a positive attitude.
Character Education by Just Do The Right Thing" is a practical and powerful tool
that equips educators to tackle values training with confidence.
The author invites you to visit:
http://www.characterineducation.com